A Safe Landing

  Tom Potter of the Potter Building Company(207-595-3315), asked us to do a small landing patio at one of his jobsites a few weeks ago.

  Damon and I found some nice granite, Deer Isle, I believe; and we added a few cobbles in the corner to create a raised bed for planting.

  Here are a few shots of our friend and stone sculptor, Dave Curry (who also has scuptures at Harbor Square Gallery in Rockland now) thermalling the final slab of granite before installation. Thermalling uses high temperatures to flake and pop off the outer layer of a stone, giving it a rougher and more natural appearance. It can be a touchy process, however, and if the stone is too thin or weak or has hidden fissures it can spit into pieces and be rendered completely useless. This particular stone was our last piece and there didn't seem to be any left in the midcoast, which meant we would have had to have Josh at Rockport Granite fabricate a piece just for us literally out of a mountainside, so needless to say, we splashed alot of cold water on it while Dave worked, and we held our breath...

What Weighs More, A Pound Of Stone Or A Pound Of Junk

  Swung by Irik's and got a few shots of the "Patio That Wouldn't Die". It's a hard one to shoot, as the bullets just seem to bounce off.

  But then we did this...

  I swear, I never tire of Jackson's Salvage Yard...

Just Walk Away

  In two days, we installed the remaining upper stretch of Bruce and Pam's fine granite walkway.  It took a little longer than the lower section, as there were challenges in bringing together the different grades and positions of the top step, the garage door, and the driveway entrance; and of course, we didn't have Bruce's brute strength or razor-sharp eye helping us do the prep and layout, as he was busy moving about three tons of leftover wall-stone by hand! But it all came together beautifully in the end, nonetheless.
  This landing stone in front of the garage door was my favorite out of the bunch:

   A veritable Rorschach Stone...

Driveway Walls of Hot Heaven

  So, after about five weeks of being sequestered on a 600 square-foot patio nightmare island of back-breaking labor and financial ruin, we were able to get back out to Damariscotta Lake and finish the wall on the other side of Bruce and Pam's driveway. And though it was almost a hundred degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, we were extremely happy to get back to a sensible and creative project in a peaceful environment controlled by kind and sensible people. I think we are going to stay there permanently...  Maybe if we just work 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, we can stretch this thing out to last all year.

Instant Walkway, Just Add Water

  We went out to Bruce's on Damariscotta Lake Saturday, uncertain whether or not the rain would hold off long enough to make it worthwhile, which it did for the most part. Bruce had a swale all dug out for the desired walk and a pile of random pieces of cut and thermalled granite. The edges were rough, but all we had to do was establish a loose design, measure, and cut to fit. We had a fine granite walk installed in less than 5 hours, just as the rain turned from a drizzle to a downpour.

Pool Sides

 
  I should have done before and after pics of this one. A few weeks ago, some really lovely people near Lincolnville Beach asked us to give them an estimate on putting pavers around their swimming pool. The job entailed digging out existing crushed stone and laying pavers up to the concrete pool surround. I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea, but, like them, short of tearing everything up and starting over, I didn't see any other reasonable option.
  We got to work and were almost instantly satisfied with the results. Not only were the pavers an aesthetic improvement, but they added a lot of extra usable space. Extra "grilling" space, if you will. The owners were happy and we were happy to work with them. Another one of those rewarding little jobs that don't come along nearly enough.

Damariscotta Lake (Where the Blackflies Roam)

  So, this is the first wall we built with Clark on the lake, and the next will essentially be a mirror on the other side of the drive.  And yes, the blackflies were horrendous, and yes, they did carry Damon away. We spend so much time working on the ocean, where the breeze tends to keep them away, that we forget how bad they can be inland.

The Walls of Clark Doody

  Damon and I spent last week building walls with our friend, Clark, on Damariscotta Lake in Nobleboro.  We were just getting there at the tail end of a job he had been doing by himself for a few months. All of the wall you see in these two photos was built by a crew of one, a crew of Clark. And there are more! Clark Doody (hope I'm spelling the last name right) is the owner of CND Masonry 563-6548. He is a whiz when it comes to fireplaces and chimneys, a brilliant concrete finisher, and a pleasure to work with.

Finished Walk

  We took a drive out to Bremen the other day and finished piecing in the walkway we built in the Fall, and which we had been unable to finish at the time because of construction.  It seems to have held up well through the winter. All that is needed now is a little loam for the cracks and some thyme to plant inside it.

Scarborough Fin

  Damon and I finished up in Scarborough yesterday. I am on my way out the door to the next job, but here are a few shots of the finished product. The wires are for an enormous television that will cover most of the stonework. Also, the keystone is coming out to be replaced by a smaller one, as the owners or their designers feel it is encroaching on the television. Basically, I think we just built the world's toughest and most expensive tv-stand.

Wednesday Afternoon

Now we're on our way...

News From the Front

The Arch and the Covenant

Quick shot from my phone.

Foundation Veneer in Scarborough

  It must be close to a month now we have been working on the foundation on the Scarborough guest house.  Damon and I, Danny Harrington, Richard Ware, and Randy Edgecomb.  The veneer is coming to a close and we will soon be working on the chimney veneer.

   Here is the rear of the house with Chimney Builder Steve Welton's staging climbing up the side.

Trouble Melts Like Lemon Drops

  High above the Falmouth chimney top, which we finished the other day and topped with the original bluestone from the one we ruinationed.

College of the Atlantic

  A couple of weeks ago, Laura and I took a drive up to the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor and walked around the campus.  I was struck by the amazing stonework on the main hall, as well as that of the satellite buildings and the crumbling remnants of old stonework on the grounds.